Last modified on: April 15th, 2024
Finding the right SEO tools can be challenging, especially if you're looking for free options that actually deliver results.
This post introduces the best free SEO software tools available for a variety of needs, including keyword research, competitor analysis, link building, site audits, rank checking, and improving page performance.
Whether you're just starting out in digital marketing or looking to enhance your existing SEO strategy, these tools provide valuable insights and functionalities without the cost.
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Best Free SEO Tools: Analytics & Reporting
Google Search Console – Google Search Console (previously Google Webmaster Tools) is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to monitor and optimize their website's performance in Google search results. It provides valuable insights into how Google crawls and indexes your website, identifies potential issues, and helps improve your website's visibility in search results.
Bing Webmaster Tools – Bing Webmaster Tools is a free web service provided by Microsoft that allows website owners and SEO professionals to monitor and optimize their website's performance in Bing search results. It provides valuable insights into how Bing crawls and indexes your website, identifies potential issues, and helps improve your website's visibility in search results.
Google Analytics – Google Analytics is a free web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. It allows website owners and digital marketers to monitor website performance, gain insights into visitor demographics and behavior, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their online presence.
Google Data Studio is a free data visualization and reporting tool offered by Google that allows website owners, marketers, and data analysts to create custom reports and dashboards using data from various sources, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Search Console. It provides a user-friendly interface for creating visually appealing and interactive reports that can be easily shared and collaboratively edited.
Google Sheets – Google Sheets is a free cloud-based spreadsheet application offered by Google that allows users to create, edit, and collaborate on spreadsheets online. It provides a user-friendly interface for organizing and analyzing data, and it can be integrated with other Google services, such as Google Analytics and Google Data Studio, to streamline data management and reporting processes.
Best Free Keyword Research Tools
Google Keyword Planner – Google Keyword Planner is a free keyword research tool offered by Google that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to discover and analyze relevant keyword ideas for their websites or advertising campaigns.
As one of the top free keyword research tools, It provides data on monthly search volume from organic traffic on Google, competition, and cost-per-click estimates, and it can help users identify high-traffic, low-competition keywords to target in their content and advertising strategies.
Google Trends – Google Trends is a free search analysis tool offered by Google that allows users to explore search organic search trends and patterns for specific keywords or topics over time. It provides data on search volume, geographic location, and related queries, and it can help users identify trending topics and optimize their content and advertising strategies accordingly.
Keyword Surfer – Keyword Surfer is a free Chrome extension that provides keyword search volume data, related keywords, and on-page data for Google search results. It allows users to perform keyword research and competitor analysis directly within the search engine results page, making it a quick and convenient tool for optimizing content and advertising strategies.
Keyword Tool – Keyword Tool is a freemium online keyword research tool that generates long-tail keyword suggestions for various search engines, including Google, YouTube, Amazon, and Bing. It uses Google Autocomplete to provide users with a list of relevant keywords, and it also provides data on search volume, cost-per-click, and competition for each keyword suggestion.
AnswerThePublic – AnswerThePublic is a freemium keyword research tool that generates visualizations of keyword data to help users understand and analyze search intent. It provides users with a list of questions and prepositions related to a keyword or topic, which can be used to find long tail keywords and optimize content & advertising strategies for specific search queries. AnswerThePublic is particularly useful for creating content that answers specific questions and meets the needs of search engine users.
Best Free SEO Tools: Website Auditing
Screaming Frog – Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a freemium website crawler that allows website owners and SEO professionals to run technical SEO audits and analyze their sites for potential issues that may be impacting their search engine rankings. The site crawling tool provides valuable insights into site architecture, links, and metadata, and can help identify broken links, duplicate content, and other on-page issues. Screaming Frog is particularly useful for larger sites to quickly and efficiently crawl thousands of pages.
Xenu – Xenu Link Sleuth, commonly referred to as just Xenu, is a free link-checking software that scans websites to identify technical SEO issues like broken links, missing images, and other errors that may impact user experience and search engine rankings. It can crawl thousands of pages quickly, and it generates a report of all errors found on the website, making it a valuable tool for website maintenance and optimization.
Siteliner – Siteliner is a free website analysis and SEO audit tool that allows website owners and SEO professionals to identify duplicate content, broken links, and other issues that may be impacting site performance and search engine rankings. It scans websites and provides a report of all internal and external links, as well as other data such as page load time and content quality. Siteliner is particularly useful for identifying and resolving duplicate content issues, which can negatively impact search rankings.
SEO Minion – SEO Minion is a free browser extension that provides on-page SEO analysis and diagnostic tools. It allows users to analyze and highlight page elements such as headings, meta tags, and links, and it also provides data on page speed and broken links. SEO Minion is a useful tool for identifying on-page optimization opportunities and quickly resolving common issues.
Check My Links – Check My Links is a free browser extension that allows users to scan web pages for broken links. It highlights all valid and broken links on a web page, making it easy to identify and fix any broken links that may negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings. Check My Links is a valuable tool for website owners and SEO professionals looking to maintain and optimize their website's link structure.
Google Structured Data Testing Tool – Google Structured Data Testing Tool is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to test and validate their website's structured data markup. It checks the schema.org markup of a page to ensure it follows Google's guidelines for structured data, and it provides suggestions on how to improve the markup for better search engine visibility. The tool can help websites display rich snippets in search results, improving their visibility and click-through rates.
Small SEO Tools – Small SEO Tools is a free online suite of SEO tools that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to perform various optimization tasks, such as checking website traffic, analyzing keywords, and auditing website content. It provides tools for backlink analysis, plagiarism checking, and technical SEO tools for broken link checking, among other things, making it a valuable resource for optimizing website performance and search engine rankings.
SEOBook – SEOBook is a free online suite of SEO tools that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to perform various optimization tasks, such as keyword research, website analysis, and link building. It provides tools for analyzing website backlinks, checking website rankings, and optimizing website content, making it a valuable resource for improving website visibility and search engine rankings. SEOBook also offers a range of paid SEO tools and resources for more advanced users.
The HOTH SEO Tools – The HOTH SEO Tools is a free online suite of SEO tools that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to perform various optimization tasks, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, and backlink analysis. It provides tools for analyzing website content, checking website rankings, and auditing website backlinks, making it a valuable resource for improving website visibility and search engine rankings. The HOTH also offers a range of services related to SEO, blog posts, link building, and Google Ads.
Best Free Link Tools
SEOquake – SEOquake is a free browser extension that provides on-page SEO analysis and diagnostic tools. It allows users to analyze and compare various SEO metrics for multiple websites, as well as provide data on various page elements such as headings, meta tags, and links. SEOquake is a valuable tool for identifying on-page optimization opportunities and quickly resolving common issues.
Semrush – Semrush is a popular all-in-one digital marketing platform that offers a range of tools for SEO, PPC, content marketing, and social media. Its SEO tools include keyword research, site audit, backlink analysis, and competitor analysis. Semrush provides valuable insights into competitors' marketing strategies and allows users to optimize their own marketing campaigns for better visibility and search engine rankings. While Semrush offers a free version, it has limited features and is more suited for small-scale SEO tasks.
Ahrefs – Ahrefs is a popular all-in-one SEO tool that provides data-driven insights to help website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals optimize their online presence and analyze the competition. Its features include site audit, keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor analysis, among others. Ahrefs is particularly useful for its keyword difficulty, domain authority, and backlink analysis, which provides insights into competitors' link-building strategies. Ahrefs is a paid tool, although it does offer a limited free version.
Ahrefs Backlink Checker – Ahrefs Backlink Checker is a free tool that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to check the backlink profile of any website. The free searches provide data on up to 100 backlinks, including referring domains, anchor text, and other link metrics. While Ahrefs Backlink Checker is limited to 100 backlinks and does not provide comprehensive data like the paid version, it can still be a useful tool for gaining insights into a website's link profile and identifying opportunities for improving backlink quality.
Google Disavow Links Tool – Google Disavow Links Tool is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to request Google to ignore or disavow low-quality or spammy backlinks pointing to their website. This can be helpful in cases where a website has received manual or algorithmic penalties due to low-quality or spammy backlinks. The tool is designed to help website owners maintain their website's search engine visibility and rankings by ensuring that their website is not negatively impacted by bad backlinks.
Best Free Local SEO Tools
Google Business Profile – Google Business Profile is a free online tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence on Google, including Google Maps and Google Search. It provides a platform for businesses to update their information, such as business hours, address, and phone number, as well as providing a way for customers to leave reviews and rate their experiences. Google Business Profile is a valuable tool for local businesses looking to improve their visibility and attract more customers through online searches.
Local Search Results Checker – Local Search Results Checker is a free online tool that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to see how their website appears in Google's local search results for specific keywords and locations. It provides data on search rankings, local search results, and Google Maps results, allowing users to identify opportunities to improve their website's visibility in local search results. The tool is particularly useful for businesses that rely on local customers, such as restaurants and retail stores.
Moz Local Listing Score – Moz Local Listing Score is a free online tool that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to audit their business listings across various online directories, such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. It provides a score that reflects the accuracy and completeness of business listings, as well as data on missing or inconsistent information. Moz Local Listing Score is a valuable tool for businesses looking to improve their local search visibility and attract more customers through online directories.
The HOTH Local Listing Audit – The HOTH Local Listing Audit is a free online tool offered by The HOTH that allows website owners, marketers, and SEO professionals to audit their business listings across various online directories, such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. It provides a report that identifies missing or incorrect information in business listings, such as NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data, categories, and photos. The HOTH Local Listing Audit is a useful tool for businesses looking to improve their local search visibility and ensure that their business information is accurate and up-to-date across online directories.
Google Review Link Generator – Google Review Link Generator is a free online tool that allows businesses to create a link that directs customers to leave a review on their Google My Business profile. It provides a simple way to generate a direct link to a business's Google review page, which can then be shared with customers via email, social media, or other marketing channels. Google Review Link Generator is a valuable tool for businesses looking to build their online reputation and attract more customers through positive reviews.
Best Free Site Speed & Performance Tools
Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool – Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool is a free online tool offered by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to test whether their website is optimized for mobile devices. It analyzes a site and provides a report that identifies issues that may impact user experience on mobile devices, such as small font sizes, page loading speed, and touch elements that are too close together. This is a valuable tool for businesses looking to improve their mobile search visibility and attract more customers who use mobile devices.
Google PageSpeed Insights – Google PageSpeed Insights is a free online tool offered by Google that allows website owners and SEO professionals to analyze their website's performance and speed. It provides a report that identifies issues that may be impacting page load time and user experiences, such as image optimization, browser caching, and server response time.
GTmetrix – Similar to Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix is a free online tool that provides website owners and SEO professionals with insights into their website's performance and speed. It analyzes a site and provides a report that identifies issues that may be affecting page load times and the user experience.
Google Lighthouse – Google Lighthouse is an open-source tool in Chrome DevTools that allows website owners and SEO professionals to audit their site's performance, accessibility, and SEO. It analyzes a site and provides a report that identifies issues that may be impacting the user experience and search engine visibility, such as page load time, mobile-friendliness, and content quality.
Chrome DevTools – Chrome DevTools is a free set of web developer tools built directly into the Google Chrome browser. The tools make it easy for website owners and developers to analyze and debug their website's performance and behavior. It provides a suite of tools for inspecting and editing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as analyzing network activity, rendering performance, and accessibility. Chrome DevTools is a valuable tool for optimizing website performance and ensuring that it provides a seamless user experience across all devices.
Cloudflare – Cloudflare is a free content delivery network (CDN) that provides website owners with tools to improve website performance, security, and reliability. It offers features such as website caching, DDoS protection, and SSL/TLS encryption, among others. Cloudflare is a valuable tool for improving website speed and security, which can lead to better user experience and search engine rankings.
Best Free WordPress SEO Tools
Rank Math – Rank Math is a free WordPress plugin that includes SEO tools and website setting adjustments for site owners. It comes equipped with features like on-page optimization suggestions, built-in schema markup builder, search title & meta description templates, rank tracking, auto-generating XML sitemaps, Google Analytics & Search Console integrations, and more, making it an invaluable asset for boosting WordPress website discoverability and search engine rankings.
Yoast SEO – Yoast SEO is a popular free WordPress SEO plugin that provides a range of tools for optimizing websites for search engines. Its features include on-page SEO recommendations, search title & meta descriptions templates, XML sitemap generation, built-in schema markup, and content analysis, among others.
FAQs on Free SEO Tools
Which free SEO tool is the best?
Choosing the best SEO tool really comes down to what specific needs you have:
- Google Analytics is unparalleled for site traffic and analysis, providing a comprehensive look at your website's performance.
- If you're diving into competitor analysis, Semrush's free account can give you a wealth of insightful data.
- Ahrefs Backlink Checker is ideal for a quick peek into your website's backlink profile, helping you understand your site's authority.
- Beginning your keyword research journey? Google Keyword Planner offers a solid starting point with valuable search data.
- For monitoring your website's performance in Google's search results, Google Search Console is indispensable.
- Screaming Frog excels in conducting fast, on-site SEO audits for smaller websites, identifying critical issues efficiently.
- And when it comes to assessing your website's page speed and overall performance, Google PageSpeed Insights provides essential feedback for optimization.
Do I need to invest in paid SEO tools?
While not strictly necessary for SEO success, paid tools can streamline your strategy, uncover deeper insights, save time, and improve decision-making.
They're particularly useful for detailed keyword tracking, competitor analysis, comprehensive site audits, and generating in-depth reports.
Which SEO tools are worth the investment?
Investing in SEO tools can be beneficial for tracking numerous keyword rankings over time, accessing detailed keyword and competitor insights, performing thorough audits, and compiling comprehensive reports.
For a broader suite of tools and data for various SEO tasks, consider exploring top-tier, all-in-one SEO platforms.
Final Thoughts on Free SEO Tools
I hope you found this list of top free SEO tools useful for supporting your SEO strategy.
While some paid tools are worth it for rank tracking and access to in-depth competitor insights, these free tools are effective for basic research, auditing, and reporting needs.
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